Effect of Asphaltene Deposition on Dynamic Displacements of Oil by Water

Abstract

The flocculation and deposition of asphaltenes in porous media and their interactions with rock and fluids represent complex phenomena which need to be investigated under dynamic flowing conditions. In this paper, experimental results are provided to determine the effect of asphaltene deposition on the dynamic displacements of heavy oil by water in consolidated as well as unconsolidated porous media. Dynamic method was used for in-situ asphaltene precipitation in the porous media.Several dynamic displacement experiments were conducted to understand the displacement of heavy oil by water at various degrees of asphaltene deposition.The results show that., while the increase in asphaltene deposition increased pore plugging and reduced the absolute permeability of the porous media, it also improved the displacement performance and oil recovery by water flooding. It is believed that the improvement in displacement performance may be partly due to improvement in the relative oil permeability caused by end point saturation and wettability changes and partly also due to the flow diversion effect of asphaltene deposition.

Asphaltene Deposition During CO2 Flooding

“…5 It can also cause formation damage and wellbore plugging, requiring expensive treatment and cleanup procedures. [6][7][8][9][10] Asphaltene deposition problems are not limited to miscible floods, 11 they are also encountered during natural depletion, gas-lift operations, caustic flooding, and matrix acidizing.…”

Experimental Investigation of the Asphaltene Deposition Process during Different Production Schemes

“…When precipitation occurs, asphaltene particles come out of solution, are solidified and a new solid phase is generated in the solution, whereas when deposition takes place on the rock, this can change the wettability of the reservoir matrix, and consequently affect the flood performance (Buckley, 1998). It can also cause formation damage and wellbore plugging, requiring expensive treatment and cleanup procedures (Kamath et al, 1993;Novosad et al, 1990;Baker et al, 1992;Leontarities et al, 1992). Asphaltene deposition problems are not limited to miscible floods; they are also encountered during natural depletion, immiscible gas injection, gas-lift operations and matrix acidizing.…”

An Investigation of Inhibitors Performance on Asphaltene Precipitation Due to CO2Injection

“…Asphaltene precipitation can change the wet ability of the reservoir matrix and consequently affect the flood performance (Buckley, 2001). It can also cause formation damage and well bore plugging, requiring expensive treatment and cleanup procedure (Leontaritis and Mansoori, 1988;Novosad and Costain, 1990;Baker et al, 1992;Leontaritis et al, 1992;Kamath et al, 1993).…”